The Unbreakable Vow Broken
by ilovesirius93
Summary: A one shot tragedy about the Prewett Brothers Fabian and Gideon and how different they are. One is manipulative and the other struggles not to kill himself accidentally as he tries not to break the Unbreakable Vow he made as a child.


**The Unbreakable Vow Broken**

Fabian Prewett looked over his thin, elegant glass of Firewhiskey, his eyes scanning the hall. His dress robes were crisp and tight around him and he longed to leave the wedding and put on something comfy and worn out. But he wasn't leaving until he caught a glimpse of her. He wasn't budging until he saw Mary MacDonald prance into the hall, even if she would be wrapped around the arm of his brother, Gideon.

In the meantime, Fabian scrutinized the people in the fancy chamber. Practically everyone was there. He had invited his friends James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew and they had brought dates. Lily Evans was by the food table, laughing at something James had said while Remus watched with suppressed envy from a while off, ignoring Peter, who was awfully close for comfort. Fabian had a suspicion that Lily was the apple of Remus's eye but who was he to judge. As far as he knew, Lily and James were already engaged. Times changed fast. It seemed that only yesterday, the perky redhead had declared that she would rather date a squid than Potter the Swank.

On the dance floor was Sirius Black, who seemed to be supporting a goblet of Firewhiskey and a lass on each arm without breaking his casual grace. The man may look good so his poor dancing were excused airily by the giddy women. Sirius was already drunk and the bride and groom hadn't even arrived. He sloshed his drink over his front, gave a bark like laugh and cleaned it with a twirl of his wand, only to spill some more a few seconds later. Fabian couldn't help smirking in amusement. It seemed as though the two ladies didn't notice. They were too breathtaken by his beauty. It was almost nauseating sometimes, the way a female looked at him. Fabian wondered when Sirius would get weary of the attention they gave him but he had lasted a few years and he was still counting.

The door of the hall opened slowly. Everyone's eyes turned to see who it was, thinking that Molly and Arthur had finally arrived. But, who came into view but a small and ravishing blonde, walking arm in arm with Fabian's older brother. He tensed over as he watched Gideon smile like he was worth a million bucks, pushing his curly red locks out of his eyes. Beside him, petite Mary put on a faltering smile. As soon as the guests looked away, disappointed that the awaited couple were not here, Mary left Gideon's side and bounced over to Lily, holding the hem of her dress so as not to trip over it.

Fabian tried his best to keep the sullen bitterness out of the bright smile he offered his brother as the latter approached him. Mary was his and Fabian couldn't do anything, even if he tried.

All his life, Fabian had watched Gideon get his heart's desire. Through the nineteen years of his life, Fabian had watched with sadness as Mum fret about Gideon, buying him new schoolbooks and sweets when they could hardly afford them. Fabian took hand-me-downs without a complaint, because he could not go against the law of the Prewett household.

Gideon was odd. He seemed to know what his younger brother (they were separated by nine months) wanted and he went out of his way to get it. Gideon seemed to know what Fabian held dear even before Fabian himself did and when it became clear to Fabian what he loved, Gideon had already snatched it from his hands. He put on an innocent face and pretended that his intentions were pure and blameless.

During his third year at Hogwarts, Gideon had stolen up to Fabian's dormitory and smirked the way only Gideon could. It made him look impish and slightly less handsome so Fabian was easily able to detect a threat. He was only thirteen then, though, and so hadn't been able to voice his thoughts, even to himself.

Gideon had sat on Remus's bed, and filled Fabian in on his plan. What he said made Fabian take a sharp intake of breath. Gideon wanted to perform the Unbreakable Vow?

Gideon explained that his friend, Ted Greengrass was more than willing to be the Binder. His soothing voice had said that it was just for the heck of it, and that there was no real point to panicking. And naïve little Fabian had been convinced, not believing that his older brother meant harm. Of course, he did not yet know that he would soon come to love Mary.

As Ted performed the ritual, Fabian had gotten a gnawing pain in his stomach, which indicated that things would go wrong. Why was Gideon making him do an Unbreakable Vow about that scrawny little blonde, Mary MacDonald? Did Gideon actually think Fabian fancied her? At first he had been confident that he wouldn't break the Vow. However, as the second tongue of fire encircled his hand and Gideon's, he grew nervous.

Gideon asked the third question.

"Do you swear on your life to neglect Mary, no matter how strongly you feel about her?"

A moment's hesitation.

"I will." answered Fabian, feeling uneasy as his eyes caught the triumphant twinkle in Gideon's eyes. He excused it as a trick of the light from the third strand of fire. There was no reason for Gideon to look so happy? Fabian did not have romantic notions for Mary MacDonald. But as soon as the procedure was over, he snatched his hand away from Gideon's, as if burnt.

Now, years later, he was still swooning over beautiful Mary, and could do nothing about it. The second he told Mary he loved her, Fabian would crumple to the ground, dead before Mary could give her response. Lately, with the way things were going, Fabian considered that idea almost fervently. Death Eaters were roaming the streets, killing and slaughtering loved ones. Mum and Dad were dead, and so was Papa Archibald, his beloved granddad.

"Fabi, you twee thing!" bellowed Gideon jovially, pinching his brother's cheek. Fabian jumped, startled out of his thoughts and smiled nervously. He hardly knew how to act around his brother anymore**. **Ever since he was sixteen, Gideon and Mary had gone steady and rumors from his sister Molly was that he was on the brink of proposing. The way Mary looked at him, Fabian had not doubt what her answer would be. Even so, he hoped against all odds that she wouldn't say yes but they had no future together. Not unless you counted the afterlife.

Fabian's hair used to be as blond as wheat. However, he was so desperately in love with MacDonald, he had whipped out his wand one day and magicked it red, just like his brother. He had assumed that Mary had the hots for ginger haired men but he was soon disappointed. Mary had ogled at him for a few minutes that day but the shock had been worn off. What was it to her that her boyfriend's shy brother had changed his hair colour?

Now, when Fabian didn't acknowledge Gideon, he continued.

"Isn't she looking stunning, Fabi?" he asked, letting his eyebrows rise. Fabian grunted, watching Gideon hide a knowing smile. His brother knew how much he loved Mary. And he wasn't a good brother, Fabian had realized long ago. Or he wouldn't have pressured Fabian into making the Unbreakable Vow. However, speaking for himself, Fabian had to be fair and state that it was his fault as much as Gideon's.

"Tell you what, dear brother," continued Gideon, his voice shaking with barely contained laughter. "You can have her for the first dance."

Fabian sighed and glared daggers at the tall figure beside him. All the bitterness he had held back for years now surfaced. Why was Gideon always rubbing it in his face that he had everything Fabian wanted?

"You know, _dear brother_," replied Fabian, seething on the inside and letting sarcasm drip in his words. "It seems to me that you're always trying to get me killed."

Gideon blinked in amusement. He shrugged and dismissed his behavior and walked away, knowing that just that tiny gesture would make Fabian guilty.

"If it helps," came a voice from behind him. Fabian whipped around. How did Sirius get here? "You can take one of my dates. I won't mind."

Sirius gestured to a table full of girls, chatting and laughing. Fabian couldn't help but smile. Sirius didn't know how to make people feel better but he ended up lightening their mood anyways. He shook his head and let his gaze go to Mary, who was letting Peter twirl her around. She finally looked happy. Fabian felt an ache in his heart. He had never been one to be addressed with that smile. He had hardly spoken two words to her, in fear of breaking his oath and dropping dead in front of her. For him, the night would be like years. He couldn't even bring himself to be happy that Molly was getting married.

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Three days had passed. Fabian was lying in his bed, dreaming up things. All his dreams these days led back to Mary. He was remembering the day he had found the Mirror of Erised. Seventh year, in the dead of night. He had been trying to find out where his roommates went once a month but James, Sirius, Remus and Peter had given him the slip and he had found himself in the room, accompanied by only that towering mirror.

"_Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi_." it had said on the top of the mirror. Fabian had no idea what it meant but after painstaking research, he had found out. _I show not your face but your heart's desire._

He had seen Mary, hugging him, kissing him. He had seen them together and almost believed it was the future. That was until Fabian realized what the words meant. I show not your face but your heart's desire. Heart's desire, not the future. Mary was his heart's desire.

Fabian didn't even know if she fancied him. Gideon was her sweetheart, not him. Papa Archie always said, "You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance." What dear ole Archie didn't know was that Fabian had no need to reject acceptance. He had no chance of getting rejected because he would drop dead even before he said, "Fancy a drink at Puddifoot's?"

However, even the thought of Papa Archie gave him a burst of hope. Maybe, someday, when he had grown old, someone would find a cure (he considered the Vow a disease) and he would be saved. Of course, Papa Archie did call himself 'Hotter than Firewhiskey, faster than a Firebolt, and meaner than a Hungarian Horntail' so Fabian didn't know why he was relying on his insane uncle's words.

The inestimable anger at his brother and the stupid Unbreakable Vow aroused Fabian after a few minutes of musing.

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That next night, the Order contacted Fabian. Death Eaters had attacked Gideon's house. There was a brawl happening at this minute! Fabian knew his duties as a member of the Order was to help Gideon protect himself but there was still lingering rage so Fabian took his time getting out of bed and dressing. Gideon was a good wizard, he thought to himself. He would do without him for a while.

As Fabian apparated to his brother's loft, he realized that things were horribly wrong. The Dark Mark was floating above the house, sparkling in the night sky, dulling the light of the moon itself. Its sickly green tinge reflected on Fabian's face as he slammed into the house. He met Mary half way. He didn't ask what she was doing at his brother's house. Only fear for Gideon's safety mattered to him. However, he couldn't break his Vow, not now. Gideon needed him and Fabian was no good to him dead.

Ignoring Mary's stammering responds, Fabian bolted around the side of the house and to the back. Mary followed, stifling her sobs. Five Death Eaters surrounded Gideon, their wands lit, lighting their sneering faces. Fabian froze with fear, holding Mary back. She was shaking and whimpering but Gideon was shouting, drowning all sounds.

"YOU FOUL- YOU-!" he was hollering, as if pointedly raising his voice. "I'LL TAKE YOU ALL DOWN WITH ME!"

He didn't have to do anything however. Fabian emerged from the shadows, his face set and pointed his wand at the nearest Death Eater. A non-verbal killing spell and the man crumpled to the ground. Fabian recognized him as Wilkes. So that's what he had been doing after leaving school.

Wilkes's companion's noticed. They spun around, but already, another one was down. It was now three against two.

Antonin Dolohov was sneering, the light from the Dark Mark turning his pale, twisted face a sickly green. Slowly, his hood slipped off and came to rest on his burly shoulders as he saw that some of his companions were dead.

"Oh, it's the other Prewett!" he said, looking slightly troubled. "We'll finish the job more quickly then. You should've stayed at your place, good man. We were going to pay you a visit as well."

Gideon was frozen on the spot. After his booming speech of taking the Death Eaters down with him, Fabian had presumed that he would blow their heads open. He should've known Gideon was all talk.

That instant, spells shot everywhere. Light reflected on Mary's face as she watched but no one was paying her any mind. Her boyfriend, Gideon Prewett was in the middle of it all, looking afraid. That was an emotion she hadn't seen cross his face. Mary felt grudgingly disgusted at him. Shy little Fabian was ducking and dodging, putting Shield Charms around him and Gideon but his brother was dead weight. Mary would've helped but she was horrid at defense but she couldn't peel her eyes away from Gideon. Fear erupted inside her and she almost yelled. Momentarily, she closed her eyes because Gideon's death was definite. Tears prickled behind her eyes; tears for Fabian, the brave one. All compassion for Gideon (who loved to be the centre of attention and detested it if she took the spotlight off him) evaporated, to her immense guilt. She didn't love him.

There were shouts and thuds as bodies hit the ground. Mary gasped as a weak moan escaped Fabian's lips. Her eyes shot open like shutters and she wished that she had kept them closed. Four Death Eaters lay on the soft grass and in the middle of the yard lay Gideon, his face sincere for the first time since he was five. Antonin Dolohov had fled, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle. Fabian was swaying on the spot, his right hand clutching his bloody thigh. His left arm had been blasted off and in its place, there were only bloody tatters of his robes. Mary rushed to his side but he cringed and pushed her away. Fabian took shaky steps, one leg lagging behind the other and dropped to his knees in a pool of blood. Gideon's blood.

Antonin Dolohov was known for his invention of dark spells. He didn't need the Killing Curse to kill someone. He had a few curses under his sleeve for such occasions where he could show off his repulsive skill. Gideon's stomach had deep gashes in them, therefore being the cause of the immense amount of blood.

Mary approached Fabian's hunched figure, knowing that he was crying. Tentatively, she patted his shoulder and he straightened at her touch. Painfully, with a few grunts of hurting and the support of Mary, he stood up and looked at her. Even minus the left arm, he was as handsome as his brother, his blond roots showing at his parting line. He took her hand firmly and stared deep into her blue eyes with the utmost intensity.

"Mare, I love you." he said quickly. Mary took a sharp intake of breath but her answer was oblivious to Fabian, for he had already collapsed to the ground, his eyes like two glass pieces. Mary sobbed in disbelief. How could he just have died on her? Cautiously, she lifted her shirt up and removed her wand from the waistband of her skirt.

"_Lumos._" she whispered, her voice cracking. The light washed over Fabian's pale face.

Something gold caught her eye. On Fabian's uninjured hand was a worn out watch, with stars circling around the face instead of hands. Carefully, as if not to disturb his never-ending sleep, she undid the clasp and slipped the wristwatch in the pockets of her dress. Molly shouldn't lose her brothers and have nothing to remember them by.

Silently, she pecked Fabian's still warm forehead, letting a drop of tear hit him, expecting him to cringe like she had seen him do many times. He didn't move. Fabian the Fearless had gone to live a new life. He had left to live a life after death.


End file.
